When solid fuels are burned in boiler furnaces and the like, the residues emanating from the fuel collect on the internal surfaces of the boiler to impede heat transfer functions, and result in increased boiler downtime for cleaning and repair. For instance, undesirable slag deposits, may be formed in the high temperature firebox area, requiring boiler shutdown for complete removal thereof.
Ash residues often tenaciously stick to fireside boiler tubes, economizers, and preheaters. These ash deposits accumulate and block passages through which the hot boiler gases are designed to pass.
Ash deposits are periodically cleaned via soot blower devices or the like. However, to the extent that the ash agglomeration is more tenacious than the cleaning draft or force exerted by the soot blowers, severe problems are encountered. This problem has become magnified in recent years as the ash level of utilized fuels has increased due to such factors as the low availability and excessive cost of high quality fuels. These factors result in ever increasing economic pressures to burn lower cost, lower quality fuels.